why is SHE bending the pole?

[Kate]

Its better to not bend the pole when you're just learning how to vault. Make sure your mechanics and form are good first then start moving back and gripping higher; the pole will start to bend.

[Mecham]

Well....i hate to break it to you....but. The reason she is getting taught all this stuff before you, is because she is hot. Or atleast hotter than you.

Im just kidding.

[Mecham]

No really, i was just kidding. I promise i didnt mean it like that

[bball_luvr23]

There was kinda this problem at my shcool last year. There was a senior, who had vaulted for a couple of years, a soph who went 8' as a freshman (not sure if she bent then), me, a freshman just learning, and 2 juniors learning also. The senior wanted to bend, b/c is was her senior year and all, but she couldn't get her take off at all, she was going off of her right foot instead of the left, and never cleared 6'6" in a meet. The soph had bent as a freshman, but wasn't now (dont' know why?), and her PR was 6'6" for the season. Then there was me, just trying to do everything the coach told me to do, didn't care about not bending, and practiced as much as possible. (They didn't practice very often) What ya know?? I ended up getting 8' and the coach looked for a pole for me so I could learn to bend!! (He never ended up teaching me, but another coach did) The senior pretty much stopped vaulting altogether when coach started talking to me about bending and not her.

That was long, but I think ya get the point - I got all the basics, coaches saw it, and then I got to bend. I wouldn't worry about the other girl, when you get your form down, and begin to bend you'll be great! Good luck